Lilja PTO Newsletter (9/13/21)

Lilja PTO Newsletter (9/13/21)

We hope everyone has started to settle into the routines of the new school year. Here are some highlights from the latest school & district communications.

NPS District Newsletter (9/10)

  • NO SCHOOL this Thu 16 Sep for Yom Kippur

  • Vaccinated parent volunteers are needed to enable outdoor lunch options, if you are interested for Lilja please email Principal Wasik at swasik@natickps.org

  • Covid pool testing is starting 9/27, symptomatic testing starts today 9/13, test and stay starts this Wednesday 9/15

Lilja Newsletter (9/10)

  • Important info for families about car arrival/dismissal

  • LIVE, in person Curriculum Nights are planned for next Tue 21 Sep (K-2) & Wed 22 Sep (gr 3-4)

  • Lunch monitors are needed, as paid and volunteer positions

  • School Council members are needed, register your interest by this Fri 10 Sep

  • Reminder that dogs are not allowed on campus except for service/therapy animals

PTO Meeting 9/29

The first public PTO meeting of the year is scheduled for Wed 29 Sep, and all Lilja families are welcome to attend. The zoom meeting link will be shared in our newsletter and in our Facebook page closer to the date. All meeting dates are posted on our website liljapto.org.

Konstella

If you have not already done so, please login to Konstella.com and update your child's details with their new teacher for 2021-2022, as this will help us make sure you get the right communications for your family. If you need any help, reach out to us at pto@liljapto.org.

 

Morning Mischief

Mark your calendars for some fun on Halloween morning! We are planning an outdoor family event in the Lilja carpark on Sun 31 Oct with Trunk or Treat, DJ Mike, prize draws, costume parade, a photo booth, food/drink, and more. Keep an eye on upcoming newsletters for details on how to register for the T&T and get tickets to attend!

 

School Lunches from Natick Food Service

A reminder that you can check the monthly elementary lunch menu here if your family needs a heads up about what the options are that day so you can plan accordingly. All school lunches are free for the 2021-2022 school year.

If you have special allergy or dietary requirements, please contact kgentili@natickps.org and they will do their best to accommodate your needs.

There are also vacant positions at Natick Food Service, click here for more details.


Talk to usWhether you're a new or returning family, we would love to hear from you! If you have any questions, ideas or suggestions, or want to help us out, please contact us at pto@liljapto.org. ------ If you have received this email in error, i.e. you no longer have children attending Lilja, please contact us at pto@liljapto.org and we can remove you from the mailing list.

Lilja PTO Newsletter (8/30/21)

Lilja PTO Start of School Newsletter (8/30/21)

Even though everyone has been inundated with school-related communications the past few weeks, please bear with us and read this PTO newsletter carefully to make sure you haven't missed anything important!

A quick checklist for things to do before the first day of school this week:

If you received this directly in your inbox, congratulations, you are already signed up to get PTO newsletters via Konstella!

If you know of a new or existing Lilja family not already getting this newsletter, please forward this to them and encourage them to visit Konstella.com, click on 'Find Your School' in the top right corner, enter 'Lilja', then register so they won't miss important information from the PTO. Detailed instructions are available here.

 

Dropoff & Pickup Reminders

An important reminder about car dropoff and pickup. If you are travelling south on Oak St (from the Rte 9 end) and there is already a queue of cars waiting to turn right into the Sargent Field lot, you cannot block the road while waiting to turn left into the parking lot. Instead, you will need to find a place to turn around and join the queue turning right from the Bacon St end. 

If you are driving, please remember to watch out for children and families at the pedestrian crossing between Eisenhower Ave and MacArthur Road.

Finally, a gentle reminder that dogs are not allowed onto the Lilja school grounds during school hours unless they are service animals.

 


Natick Travel Basketball

Hoopsters, a program run by Natick Travel Basketball, is a series of fun and high energy clinics designed to provide an introductory basketball experience for boys and girls in grades K-3.

Hoopsters focuses on fundamental skill development (shooting, dribbling, passing) in a fun, non-competitive environment. The goal of the program is to get kids excited about basketball and expose them to basketball skills with drills and contests. At the 3rd grade level, 3×3 games are introduced. There are no set teams in and all of the sessions are co-ed. Hoopsters is NOT a competitive travel basketball league and is geared to players of all skill levels.

Fall Hoopsters typically runs between Columbus Day and Thanksgiving.

If you are interested in learning more about the Fall Hoopsters program, please contact coaching@naticktravelbasketball.org. 

 

Natick Recreation and Parks Fall Brochure

The Fall Brochure has just been released and it is full of fun activities your family can enjoy. From flag football, field hockey, home alone safety and theatre, to new programs such as Earth Space & Sea and STEAM Studio, there's something for everyone. You can even sign up for a Parents Night Out, where you can drop your child aged 5-11 to the Cole Centre from 5:30 to 8:30pm so they can enjoy a night of crafts, games and fun while you have a night off.

To sign up for a program, register online at https://register.communitypass.net/natick

Donate with Partner Programs

Don't forget to automatically donate to the PTO whenever you shop with our partner programs!

AmazonSmile

Amazon donates 0.5% of your purchase every time you shop through AmazonSmile instead of the normal site. It may seem small, but it adds up! Simply shop on AmazonSmile and set Lilja PTO as your charity of choice (instructions here). You can even use AmazonSmile when shopping from your mobile device to help the PTO.

Box Tops for Education

Use the app to scan your store receipts to donate, find out how here.

Mabel's Labels

If you need labels for lunch boxes, water bottles, sweatshirts, etc, order from Mabel's Labels and select "Lilja PTO (Natick)" under Support A Fundraiser at the checkout. The Lilja PTO will earn a 20% commission of your order.

Follow us on Facebook

Are you following Lilja PTO on Facebook? It's a great way to keep up with the latest on what's happening with the PTO, and we often post reminders and updates in addition to newsletters. Like us if you haven't already!


Talk to us!Whether you're a new or returning family, we would love to hear from you! If you have any questions, ideas or suggestions, or want to help us out, please contact us at pto@liljapto.org.

 Lilja PTO Newsletter (8/9/21)

 Lilja PTO Back to School Newsletter (8/9/21)

We hope everyone has been enjoying their summer! There's now less than one month to go before the first day of school on Thursday 2 September (for details refer to the Lilja calendar and the NPS District calendar). School hours are posted here. Make sure you're getting the district and school newsletters so you don't miss any important information, including the draft return to school plan linked in last Friday's NPS newsblast.

If you received this directly in your inbox from the PTO, congratulations, you are already signed up via Konstella! If you know of a new or existing Lilja family not already getting this newsletter, please forward this to them and encourage them to visit Konstella.com, click on 'Find Your School' in the top right corner, enter 'Lilja', then register so they won't miss important information from the PTO. Detailed instructions are available here.

New & Returning RLA Family Playdates 

Kindergarten students, new students, returning RLA students and their families are invited to attend a PTO-sponsored playground playdate in August. Students will be able to play, have a snack, meet some new friends, reconnect with familiar faces, and, if possible, take a brief tour of the school. Families will be able to connect with other parents and guardians and hear about the PTO and opportunities to become involved in school and community activities.

Sign-ups for a specific time will be shared in the coming days but, in the meantime, please save the following date(s):

Incoming K Students
- Tuesday, August 24th between 3-5 pm OR
- Thursday, August 26th between 1-3 pm

New/Returning RLA Students (Grades 1-4)
- Wednesday, August 25th from 2-4pm

PTO Playground Playdates will be held on the Lilja playground at 40 Bacon Street.

Please plan to wear a mask, practice appropriate social distancing, and follow all current safety protocols. If possible, siblings should not attend so that we may focus solely on students. As a reminder, pets are not allowed on school property, with the exception of service animals.

We are focused on promoting a smooth and successful start of the year for our newest Lilja Lions and returning RLA students! We look forward to meeting and seeing you all in the coming weeks!

Save the Date

Guidance surrounding school gatherings is still pending, but in addition to the playdates, please mark your calendar for:

  • Friday, September 17: Kindergarten welcome picnic

  • Sunday, October 24: Fall Carnival

  • Wednesday and Thursday, Dec 1 and 2: Follett Book Fair

Fingers crossed these events will be able to go ahead! Keep an eye on the calendar on our website and our newsletters for more details.

Donate with Partner Programs 

Did you know that you can automatically donate to the PTO whenever you shop with our partner programs?

AmazonSmile

Amazon donates 0.5% of your purchase every time you shop through AmazonSmile instead of the normal site. It may seem small, but it adds up! Simply shop on AmazonSmile and set Lilja PTO as your charity of choice (instructions here). You can even use AmazonSmile when shopping from your mobile device to help the PTO.

Box Tops for Education

Use the app to scan your store receipts to donate, find out how here.

Mabel's Labels

If you need labels for lunch boxes, water bottles, sweatshirts, etc, order from Mabel's Labels and select "Lilja PTO (Natick)" under Support A Fundraiser at the checkout. The Lilja PTO will earn a 20% commission of your order.

District & School Newsletters

If you haven't already, make sure you are subscribed to the Natick Public Schools district newsletter. During the school year, Lilja also sends out important school-specific information to families in the Lilja Friday newsletter. This isn't directly delivered to your inbox, so be sure to click the link at the bottom of the NPS newsletter to read it, or visit the Lilja website weekly to stay in the loop.

Follow us on Facebook

Are you following Lilja PTO on Facebook? It's a great way to keep up with the latest on what's happening with the PTO, and we often post reminders and updates in addition to newsletters. Like us if you haven't already!


Talk to us!Whether you're a new or returning family, we would love to hear from you! If you have any questions, ideas or suggestions, or want to help, please contact us at pto@liljapto.org.